Game apparatus.



No. 747,989. PATBNTBD DEC. 29, 190s.

H. K. LEONARD.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLIDATION FILI-:D MAD. 12, 199s. No MODEL. 2 sHBBTs-sHDET 1.

PATENTED DEC. 29,` 1903.

H. K. LEONARD. GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION rILBn MAR. 12, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

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m k. N N N .llx m onms krans co. mofamu Patented December 29, 1903.

FFICE.

GAlVlE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 747,989, dated December29, 1903. Application filed March 12, 1903. Serial No. 147,433. (NomodeLl To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HARSEY K. LEONARD, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Deposit, in the county of Broome and State of NewYorkyhave invented a new and useful Improvement in Games, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in games; and the object is toprovide a device to be used for .amusement and to exercise the skill ofthe 'operator in learning to manipulate it, provision being made wherebyas ones skill in manipulating the board to control the movable objectincreases the player is rewarded bya correspondingly higher number ofpoints, so that when two or more are playing against one another themost skilful operator wins by reason of his exercise of superior skill.

With the foregoing objects in view my invention consists, first, in anoscillatory board or surface having openings therein for the receptionof a movable object andpassageways or guides for the movable objectleading to and around said openings, with a counting arrangement orsystem which provides for the highest count at the remotest point on theboard from the starting-place of the movable object.

It further consists in an oscillatory board of the general naturedescribed supported removably or otherwise on a universal pivot, wherebythe board may be tilted in various directions by the operator` inplaying the game.

It stillfurther consists in certain additional features of constructionand arrangements of elements which will be described hereinafter indetail and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View of myimprovedgame. Y Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View, and Figs. 3 and 4 aremodications.

The base A, which forms the support' for the movable b oard, is adaptedto` rest upon some stationary object, as a table, desk, chair, or thelike, Within convenient reach of the operator and preferably about onthe level with the knees. This base has a rim 1 around it whereby toform an inclosure, and this inclosure may be divided into four or tivecompartments 2 3 4 5 6 or more or less, as preferred, by meansof thepartitions 7 '7, and these compartments for the purposes of my game maybe termed markets, as I propose to call my game Driving pigs to market,and these marketshave their special prices from, say, ve cents per poundin the rst one to twenty-live cents in the last. At one end is located aseries of pens for the movable objects or pigs, these being designatedby the numerals 8, 9, 10, and 11, and in each one a number of 4marbles12 l2 are contained, preferably of different colors in the differentpens. l

B indicates the movable board. This has a rim 13 aronndits side andlower edges to prevent the objects from rolling off, and throughout itslength at suitable intervals holes 14 14 are formed, through which themovable objects (pigs) may pass. The entire surface is tortuouslygrooved to and around these holes in the form of intersecting curves andscrolls 15 15, their function being to afford tracks for the balls ormovable objects, and in arrangement the idea is of course to make themmore or less indirect in order to prevent the object from rolling to thelower end of the board with too great ease and facility, as the skill incontrolling the movable object all resides in causing it to roll asfardown the board as possible, .the game counting more to the player whoaccomplishes this with the greatest number of balls or movable objects.For this purpose the surface of the board is preferably marked Otransversely, as at 16 16, to correspond with the position of thepartitions 7 7 in the receptacle below, and the areas or zonesfthusdivided oif are supplied with a number corresponding With those on thecompartments below.

,The movable board B may be supported on a centrally-located post 20 onthe base by means of a universal pivot 21, depending from the center ofthe movable board and adapted to rock and turn in a socket formedtherefor in the top of the post.

In playing the game 'a ball or marble is placed on the starting-point atX, and the person playing the game takes hold of the board and proceedsto rock it on its pivotal support, so as to start the ball from its seatand work it down as far as possible through the channels to the endnearest the handles, the desideratum being to reach the lowest end withas many balls as possible, and therein lies the skill of manipulation,as it requires practice and skill to attain this end, the constructionof the surface of the board being such that there is a tendency at alltimes on the part of the ball or marble to drop through any of the holesor recesses which it approaches.

The game may of course be played in various Ways, and that lisaltogether arbitrary and has nothing to do with themechanical featuresof my invention. One method would be for each player to drive a pig tomarket until all are driven, when the movable board would be lifted offand a count made each player having a diierent color of balls, and theplayer getting the most for his pork being the winner. Another way itcould be played would be to let each player drive the whole drove andthen com pare the aggregate counts, the one making the most of coursewinning.

It is evident that alterations might be made in the arrangement of theholes and grooves in the board and likewise in the method of supportingthe board. For instance, as I have illustrated in Fig. 3,it might besuspended from the top by means of an overhanging arm 25, or, asillustrated in Fig. 4, it might be pivotally supported at the upper end.In each event it is my preference to employ a universal joint. It isobvious that other slight changes might. be resorted to in the form andarrangement of the several parts described Without departing from thespirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not wish to limitmyself to exact construction herein set forth; but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a game apparatus, the combination with a base, of an oscillatorygame-board sustained thereabove, the board provided with a plurality ofintersecting tortuous channels having holes located therein, and movableobjects adapted to travel in the channels and to fall through the holesin the board, the starting-point of the objects located at one end oftheboard, the board subdivided transversely thereof, the subdivisionsprovided with increasing counts, corresponding with their distance fromthe starting-point.

2. In a game apparatus, the combination with a base provided with aseries of separated receptacles at one end thereof, and subdividedthroughout its length, of an oscillatory board supported above the base,the board provided with apertures therethrough, and movable objectsadapted to be started at one end of the board and to arrive at theopposite end before falling through the apertures in the board, theskill ot" the operator determining the subdivision into which the objectshall fall.

3. In a game apparatus, the combination with a base, subdivided intoreceiving-compartments, of an oscillatory game-board supported above thebase, movable objects received on the board, the game-board providedwith a plurality of intersecting tortuous channels having aperturesextending through the board at such points over Which the movableobjectis likely to pass, the movable object being under the control ofthe operator at all times when on the surface of the board,the objectadapted to travel in the channelsand pass through any of the aperturesto fall into any one of thecompartments in the base.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

HARSEY K. LEONARD.

Witnesses:

EDGAR Rosn, HENRY TUTHILL.

